Lapidary tweezers and stand therefor



March 25, 1958 M. E. SHOFFNER ET AL 2,827,689

LAPIDARY TWEEZERS AND STAND THEREFOR Filed Jan. 11, 1957 mmmj? Mari/n E. Shoffner' The/ma TL. .Shoffner INVENTOR3.

IIBY

W V 2,827,689 5 Patented Mar. 2 1958 i APTDAPY AND STAND THEREFGR lt'iartin Shoiiner and Thelma L. Shoifner, Hamilton, Mont assignors of fifteen percent to Harry W. Boozer and fifteen percent to Relzan M. Boozer, both of Hamilton, Mont.

Application .lannary 11, 1957, Serial No. 533,724

3 Claims. (Cl. 29-284) The present invention relates to a novel and practical portable apparatus which is expressly constructed and designed to enable a user thereof to perform certain essential duties having to do with lapidary work.

Briefly summarized, the so-called apparatus is characterized by a pair of structurally distinct and improved tweezers which, by reason of the specific construction utilized, has two or more uses later to be described. Secondly, the apparatus includes a specially designed supporting and vise-like stand for the tweezers the construction and cooperation of which will be hereinafter explicitly revealed.

As touched upon above, one aspect of the over-all concept is that which involves the adoption and use of a pair of unique tweezers sometimes referred to herein as dopping tweezers. That is to say, curvate or longitudinally bowed jaws at the outer end of the limbs or handles of the generally U-shaped tweezers have added thereto practical and therefore feasible support means for the workpiece which is being handled at the time. That is to say, the means is such and cooperates with the jaws in a unique manner whereby the user may grasp and hold a stone or the like near an open flame in a manner to wax it to a dop-stick with lapidary or an equivalent dop-wax. The support means spans the variable space between and cooperates directly with intermediate longitudinal edge portions of both jaws. In one of its uses it constitutes a bridge on which a stone or gem is laid flat and seated whereby to permit the stone to be firmly embraced by the jaws and support means and thus prevented from turning or otherwise shifting from its intended position while carrying out the intended dop-stick attaching job.

The support means preferred comprises a simple rigid flat faced bar member. This is rigidly attached at one end to an intermediate and longitudinal edge portion of one jaw. The other end portion underlies a corresponding longitudinal edge portion of the opposed jaw but has no positive physical connection therewith. Therefore, the last named jaw is free to slide on the cooperating flat surface of the bottom member. The bottom memher is also provided with a longitudinal slot the purpose of which is to permit the user to seat a predetermined portion of a ring therein and to clamp the ring between one end of the slot and the movable jaw to expedite the users work involved in handling a ring soldering or other task.

More specifically, the invention comprehends a novel combination of a pair of tweezers embodying a pair of opposed normally spaced flexibly resilient handles operatively joined at their respective inward ends and having longitudinally curved jaws at their respective outer ends, a rigid bar member at right angles to said jaws and bridging the space between the jaws, said bar member having one end fixed to the intermediate portion of the top longitudinal edge of one jaw and having its other end portion extending across and beyond the intermediate portion of the top longitudinal edge of the other jaw,

said bar member having a longitudinal slot therein for reception of a predetermined portion of a ring, said other jaw cooperating with the slot and ring in a manner to clampingly hold the ring in its intended ready-to-work position, and a vise-like supporting and clamping stand for said tweezers, said stand having upstanding spaced front and rear rests atop which the tweezers are laid and accessibly held against displacement.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the lapidary tweezers and novel supporting and clamping stand therefor and wherein the tweezers are positioned to clampingly hold a finger-ring for soldering;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section and elevation taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fragmentary type showing the tweezers holding a stone; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawing the multipurpose tweezers are denoted as a unit by the numeral 6 and the companion vise-like stand is denoted at 3. The stone or other gem is denoted at 10 and the finger-ring at 12.

Generally speaking, the pair of tweezers may be said to be somewhat conventional in height. Persons familiar with the requirements of those engaged in lapidary work are aware that tweezers are commonly employed in the trade, that regardless of the pressure applied to the flexibly resilient handle and the stone gripping jaws, stones are nevertheless lost and brokenquite frequently. With the improvement added to the jaws losing a stone rarely happens. In the drawing the tweezers comprise a pair of flexibly resilient limbs or arms 14 commonly referred to as handles. These are joined at their inward ends by a resilient U-bend or an equivalent operating connection. The handles are generally rectangular in cross-section and at their outer or forward ends they are provided with curvate extensions constituting longitudinally bowed jaws 18 and 20. In the instant situation the inner work gripping surfaces of the jaws are knurled or otherwise milled as at 22. The improved means which supplements the function of the jaws is denoted generally by the numeral 24-. By preference this means comprises a so-called supporting bar member. T he bar member is at right angles to the jaws l8 and 20. One end of the bar member as at 26 is integrally connected with a longitudinal edge portion 28 of jaw 18. The other end portion passes over and beyond the longitudinal edge portion 30 of the jaw 20 where it is provided with a lateral terminal or bend 32 which constitutes a stop shoulder. The jaw 18 may be said to be the stationary jaw and the jaw 22 the relatively movable jaw. The bar member is provided centrally with a longitudinally extending slot 34.

When using the tweezers in the manner seen in Figures 3 and 4, the stone 10 is set on the support bar 24 and pressure is applied to the handles as is done in connection with any similarly performing tweezers. With the stone nested and resting on the bridging bar member it is possible to turn the stone at any angle over an open flame to heat so that any recommended lapidary wax will stick it on a dop-stick (not shown) without danger of hot wax dripping oif and burning the fingers or hand, as is the case many times when the stone is held in position by hand. No locking device is necessary when this tool is used for dopping stones. As is evident, it is of great advantage to the user to be able to release the stone quickly after removing from the flame inasmuch as wax tendstoharden quite rapidly and this gives one time 7 the wax completely hardens. In the procedure just spe ci'fically set forthan d'with reference to Figs. 3 and'4'the stand neednot be used. a

Takingup now the stand '8this is constructed from availableshetmaterial. It'is characterized by a substantiallyhat base or bottom 36 having a vertical front wall38 referred to as the'forward'or front tool rest. T he upperedge 40 is provided with pairs of appropriately spaced kerfs or notches 42 which function as keeper seats inthe 'mannefseenin Fig. l. The rear rest, which is vertically disposed and opposed in parallelism to the front rest '38, is also in the nature ofa wall. This, however, is actually a V-shapedchannel which is made up of companion walls '44'an'd '46 'conne'cte'd'by a web 48.

The lower'fend of the wall 46 is provided with a basing flafigeSO. The central portion'of the walls 44 and 46 are'notched'out or provided with what is here referred to broadly as a recess 52 having shoulders 54m its re- 7 spectiveien'ds; This shouldered recess serves to receive and'supp'ort the connected portions of the handle 14 when the tool or tweezers are used in the manner seen in Fig.

, 1. In' this'arrarigenrent the tool is reversed or turned over to be used as a ring clamp in the manner depicted. "That 'is' to' say,"the'ring shank is slipped through the slot '34 pletelyj'past' centen'that is where the pressure ofthe tool is applied. With the ring'in place the tool is transferred to"the' stand where 'it is positioned with one end portion of the recess means 52 and with the arms in selected ones of the keepern'otches 42. 'it is now positioned with the shank inan'accessible position to be soldered as necessary," leaving both hands free for working requirements.

The apparatuststand and tweezers) herein disclosed hasb'een testedtime and again'and has proved to be highly satisfactory in every way for its intended' purposes. The entire procedure ofrputting a ring into the clamp can be done with tonehand providing the ring is setting with the stone facing down and the shank up.- This is of great advanta e when working with several rings at .a time inasmuch as 'th'ey can be positioned on or oh the clamp in seconds regardless of whether they-are .hot or cold. 'lhe toolahdhtand are simple, practical and-inexpensive and susceptible ofcomplying with the requirements of mass production, inasmuch as they are constructed from regula'r'ly" available sheet material.

The'foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles, o'fthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and "changes will readily occur to those skilled 'inj'the art,it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and :des'c'ribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to,'falling'within-the scope ofthe' invention aselaimed. v

What is claimed as new is as follows: 1. "In combination, a pair of lapidary tweezers embody- V ing 'apair of opposed normally spaced-flexibly resilient handlesbperatively joined atvtheir respective inward ends and ha'ving longitudinally curved jaws at their respective outerends, a rigidtbar member disposed at right angles tosaid jaws and bridging the space between the jaws, said lock it securelyinasmuc'h as the sphere of the ring is corn- 7 4 a bar member having one end fixed to an intermediate portion of 'a longitudinal edge of one jaw and having its other end portion extending across and beyond the intermediate portion of the complemental longitudinal edge of the other jaw, said bar member adapted to accommodate and support a stone, or, alternatively, a ring between said jaws, said otherjaw cooperating slidingly withthe' bar 'ina manner to clampingly hold the stone or ring in place on said bar.

2. In combination, a pair of tweezers embodying a pair of opposed normally spaced flexibly resilient handles operatively joined'at their respective inward ends and having longitudinally curved jaws at their respective outer ends, a rigid bar member at right angles to said jaws and bridging the space between the jaws, said bar member having one end fixed to the intermediate portion of the top longitudinal edge of one jaw and having its other end portion extending across and beyond the intermediateportion of the top longitudinal edge of the other jaw, said bar member having a longitudinal slot therein fo'r'reception of a predetermined portion of a ring, said other jaw cooperating with the slot and ring in a manner' to clampingly hold the ring in its intended ready-towork' position,. and a vise-like supporting and clamping stand for said tweezers, said stand having upstanding spaced frontan'd rear rests atop which the tweezers are laid and accessibly held against displacement, said rests being spaced apart a'distance less than the overall length of "die handles of saidtweezers and provided in their 7 upperends with means which serves to seat and retain the handles ina given working position.

3. In combination, a pair of tweezers embodying a pair of opposednorrnally spaced flexibly resilient handles operatively joined'at their respective inward ends and having longitudinally curved jaws at their respective outer ends, arigid'barmember at right angles to said jaws andrbridging the space between the jaws, said bar member having one end fixed to the intermediate portion of the top longitudinal edge of one jaw and having its other end portion extending across and beyond the intermediate portion of the top longitudinal edge of the other jaw, said bar member having a longitudinal slot therein for reception of a predetermined portion of a ring, said other jaw cooperating with the slot and ring .in a manner to clampingly hold the "ring in its intended ready-to-work position, and a yise-likesuppo'rting and clamping stand for said tweezers, said'stan'd'having upstanding spaced front and rear rests atop 'whi-ch'the' tweezers are laid and accessibly held againsfdispia'cernent, said rests being spaced aparta dis tance less :than the overall length of the handles of said tweezersarid provided in their upper ends with means whichrserves to seat and retain the handles in a given workingpositionysaid meanscomprising an elongated recess providing a shouldered seat for the portions of saidhandle which are seatedaandconfined in said recess, and the References Citedv in' the file :of this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,545,693 Phoel July 14, 1925 2,079,672 vAllen et al. May 11, 1937 "2,511,542 Rau June 13, 1950 2,642,766 1953 Elsberg June 23, 

